Massage roller with pressure sensors

Abstract

A massage roller includes a body having a first end, a second end, and a rolling surface extending between the first end and the second end. A pressure sensor is located at the rolling surface. Pressure measurements taken by the pressure sensor form a pressure profile. Knots, tightness, and other muscle pain are determined by analyzing the pressure profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for performing a massage, comprising:
 rolling, as part of a massage program, a muscle along a roller, the roller including a first end, a second end, and a rolling surface extending between the first end and the second end; 
 measuring a pressure profile of the muscle using a plurality of pressure sensors located at the rolling surface; 
 identifying an area of high pressure in the muscle using the pressure profile; 
 analyzing the pressure profile over time, wherein analyzing the pressure profile over time comprises:
 determining a first pressure change between a first pressure measurement of the muscle and a second pressure measurement of the muscle; and 
 determining a second pressure change between the second pressure measurement of the muscle and a third pressure measurement of the muscle; and 
 
 changing the massage program based on the first pressure change and the second pressure change, wherein changing the massage program comprises ending the massage program after the second pressure change is less than the first pressure change. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a reduction in the area of high pressure in the muscle. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing a notification to stop rolling the muscle based on identifying the reduction in the area of high pressure in the muscle. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pressure sensors forms a grid along the rolling surface between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
       5. A method for performing a massage, comprising:
 performing a massage program using a roller; 
 taking a first pressure measurement at a location of a muscle at a first time using a plurality of pressure sensors on a rolling surface of the roller, the rolling surface extending between a first end and a second end, wherein the first pressure measurement at the location of the muscle is associated with a first pressure profile of the muscle at the first time; 
 taking a second pressure measurement at the location of the muscle at a second time using the plurality of pressure sensors, wherein the second pressure measurement at the location of the muscle is associated with a second pressure profile of the muscle at the second time; 
 determining a first pressure change between the first pressure measurement and the second pressure measurement; 
 taking a third pressure measurement at the location of the muscle at a third time using the plurality of pressure sensors, wherein the third pressure measurement at the location of the muscle is associated with a third pressure profile of the muscle at the third time; 
 determining a second pressure change between the third pressure measurement and the second pressure measurement; and 
 changing the massage program based on the first pressure change and the second pressure change, wherein changing the massage program comprises ending the massage program after the second pressure change is less than the first pressure change. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein taking the first pressure measurement, the second pressure measurement, and the third pressure measurement comprises:
 taking the first pressure profile, the second pressure profile, and the third pressure profile, the first pressure profile, the second pressure profile, and the third pressure profile being measured from the plurality of sensors extending along the rolling surface. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the first pressure change comprises:
 determining an average change in measured pressure over a period of time. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein measuring the pressure profile of the muscle comprises:
 taking a plurality of pressure measurements of the muscle using the pressure sensor. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the area of high pressure in the muscle comprises:
 identifying, based on measuring the pressure profile, that a first portion of the muscle is associated with a higher pressure measurement than a second portion of the muscle. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the pressure profile over time comprises:
 comparing the first pressure measurement of the muscle with the second pressure measurement of the muscle to determine the first pressure change at the muscle. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the reduction in the area of high pressure comprises:
 identifying the reduction of pressure at the muscle based on analyzing the pressure profile. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 comparing the first pressure change with the second pressure change, wherein changing the massage program is based on comparing the first pressure change with the second pressure change. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 5 , wherein ending the massage program comprises:
 ending the massage program based on the second pressure change being zero.